The BHRC Chair and Executive Committee are delighted to announce that BHRC was officially voted into the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) at a special session in New York on 25 July 2023.
As the independent, autonomous human rights arm of the Bar Council, the admittance of BHRC to ECOSOC is a strong endorsement of BHRC’s 30-year commitment to upholding human rights and rule of law in every country in the world bar the United Kingdom (to maintain independence).
Stephen Cragg KC, Chair of BHRC, said: “BHRC’s entry into ECOSOC strengthens and reinforces our dedication to safeguarding the fundamental rights of individuals around the world. Our admission into ECOSOC doesn’t just signify recognition of our efforts since BHRC’s founding in 1991, but also entrusts us with an expanded responsibility to advocate for human rights defenders, promote human rights education, conduct trial observations, and ensure that the world’s most egregious human rights violators are not allowed to act with impunity.”
With its new consultative status, BHRC looks forward to supporting the work of the UN Economic and Social Council and intends to participate fully and formally in UN meetings. BHRC also looks forward to engaging with like-minded NGOs from around the globe to amplify our international human rights advocacy and rule of law work.
Read the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) article.
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